Philip lange



(No Model.)

1? LANGE SWITGH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

No. 434,152. Patented Aug. 12,1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP LANCE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WVEST INGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,152, dated August 12, 1890. I

Application filed September 1, 1887. Serial No. 248.483, (No model.) Patented in England May 29, 1888, No. 7,851; in Belgium May 29, 1888,10). 81,966: in Italy May 29, 1888, XXII, 23,538, and XLVI, 259, and in France May 29, 1888,N0. 190,873.

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that I, PHILIP LANGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches for Dynamo-Electric Machines, (for which I have obtained Letters-Patent in Great Britain, No. 7,851, dated May 29,1888; in Italy, No. XXII,

IO 23,538, and XLVI, 259, dated May 29, 1888; in France, No. 190,873, dated May 29, 1888, and in Belgium, No. 81,966, dated May 29, 1888,) of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the construction of switches for controlling the circuit-connections of dynamo-electric generators delivering currents of high potential.

The object of the invention is to provide convenient and reliable means for securing the connections without danger to the operator, and in such manner that the apparatus will not be injured by the sparks formed upon completing and interrupting the connections.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show the switch in connection with a safety device, Figure 1. being a plan, and Fig. 2 a

side view.

Referring to the figures, A represents a base of non-conducting material, such as wood. There are two switches shown, one being employed for each pole of the generator.

. One only, however, need be described in de-- tail. A conduct-or L is .fastened to a binding-plate a, secured to" the base A. This plate is provided with a fusible strip 0, which connects it with a second plate I). This plate I) may be connected, by means of a suitable switch-plug, with a binding-plate e. This plate 6 in turn is connected by a conductor f with a spring contact-plate k. A second contact-plate k is employed for receiving a conductor L passing to the apparatus to be 5 supplied with currents. This second plate is upon the opposite side of the switch from the plate It, thus separating the conductor L from the conductor f as far as practicable.

A lever K is employed for connecting the two spring-plates wit-I1 each other when desired. This lever is pivoted at n and is provided with a handle n of non-conducting material. The lever is formed with a blade or knife edge k, which passes between the respective springs j j and j j thus forming 5 5 good connections. The movement of the lever may be sudden, and thus form the connectionsquickly. Theblade k is preferably widened toward its outer end, so as to make contact with both sets of springs at abcut the same time. The base is preferably fastened in a vertical position, so that when the switch is closed the handle n is toward the wall and projecting downward. By simply throwing the handle outward the switch will 6 5 be opened. This is of great service in that it renders it very easy to determine the condition of the several switches of a group at a glance.

As it frequently chances in connecting generators together, or from other causes-such as the formation of short circ11itsthe safetystrip 0 may be burned out, it is desired to provide, in connection with the switch, a second safety-strip 0 This connects the plate c with a plate a The plate a maybe electrically connected with the plate a by a switch-plug in case the safety-strip c is burned out. This affords a ready method of substituting a new fusible strip without delaying the operation of the machines. For the purpose of holding the lever K in either of its two positions a spring 3. is placed in the socket N. This serves to press a rounded pin t against the squared end of the lever K, 8 5 and it prevents accidental displacement.

I claim as my invention- A switch for controlling electric-circuit connections, consisting of a pivoted lever moving in a plane perpendicular to the base, an c insulated support therefor, two contact-plates constituting the respective terminals of an electric circuit, a plate carried by the lever, In testimony whereof I lmvehereunto subwitlening gradually from the pivot of the scribed my name this 5th day of May, A. D. to lever toward the contact-plate most distant 1887.

fronrthe point of support of the lever, and PHILIP LANGE 5 binchng-plates for securmg' electrical connection with the respective contact-plates 10- lVitnesses:

cated upon opposite sides of the lever, sub- CHARLES A. TERRY,

sta ntially as described. W. D. UPTEGRAFF. 

